STRONG  — Selectmen agreed Tuesday night to postpone the annual elections Friday, if the Legislature passes an emergency bill waiving the required seven-day notice to residents.

The decision was one of several made at the emergency meeting as the town deals with following federal and state health guidelines for containing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Town Clerk Betsy DuBois said she posted the town meeting warrant before the virus spread. Polls are set to open from 1-6 p.m. Friday at the Town Office, followed by the town meeting at 9:30 a.m.Saturday. Rules require three paper ballots to elect a moderator to open the polls.

Usually, ballots would be counted and the moderator would adjourn the meeting until Saturday morning, DuBois said.

Several ballot clerks have decided against working on Friday, and she has no way to predict what to expect before Friday afternoon, she said.

“If I need to, I can register voters and hand out ballots myself, but we only have two people to count them,” she said. “I also need a deputy moderator.”

If the legislation passes, selectmen have two options, she explained.

“We can elect and swear in the moderator and adjourn, which will adjourn the meeting and postpone the voting,” she said.

“If the emergency legislation doesn’t pass, we can adjourn after the election,” DuBois said.

Selectmen agreed to follow pending emergency legislative changes, whether the election would be on Friday or postponed until May 1.

They voted to postpone the Saturday town meeting to May 2, because the seven-day notice doesn’t apply to town meetings.

They also voted to restrict public access to the Town Office and the rest of the Forster Memorial Building until further notice. Employees will work and answer phones.

Selectmen also voted to reschedule their March 24 meeting to April 14.

DuBois will post any changes on www.strongmaine.com.

Copy the Story Link